Kelowna car thieves caught immediately by police dogs training nearby

KELOWNA – Two Kelowna men were arrested for auto theft and weapons charges this week after police dogs training nearby were called in.

Shortly before 2 p.m. yesterday, Oct. 4, an RCMP officer in the 700 block of Bernard Avenue saw a man “promptly exit a vehicle, leaving its engine running and fleeing the area on foot,” according to a media release.

“A quick query of the licence plate along with the vehicles description revealed that the vehicle had been reported stolen on Monday, from the Mount Baldy Drive area of Kelowna,” RCMP spokesperson Const. Jesse O’Donaghey says.

Police set up an area of containment and three RCMP K9 teams were called.

“Three RCMP K9’s, with the Kelowna RCMP Police Dog Services Unit, just happened to be in the immediate area practicing their skills during their weekly training drills,” O’Donaghey says. “It was truly unfortunate for these two suspects.”

The dogs found articles of clothing and other items and eventually tracked one of them to a business near the intersection of Bernard Avenue and Gordon Drive where he was arrested.

A second suspect was also found in the area after officers found personal belongings of his inside the vehicle, as well as a loaded firearm.

“RCMP investigators conducted a search of the recovered stolen vehicle and were disturbed to find a loaded shotgun leaning against the front passenger side seat,” O’Donaghey says.

A 30-year-old Kelowna man and a 22-year-old man were held in police custody overnight and face a variety of potential charges.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Kelowna RCMP at 250-762-3300. Remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, leaving a tip online at www.crimestoppers.net or by texting your tip to CRIMES (274637) ktown.

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OPINION At least part of me wasn’t sure I should write this, given what happened last time. It was August 15, 2003 and like many Thursdays before it, I was scratching around for a column idea. The summer newsroom